Zerbaxa

Zerbaxa is a prescription medication used to treat complicated infections of the stomach and urinary tract, including kidney infection.

It is a single product containing 2 medications: ceftolozane and tazobactam.

Ceftolozane belongs to a group of drugs called cephalosporins. Tazobactam belongs to a group of drugs called beta-lactamase inhibitors. These help to eliminate bacteria that cause many kinds of infections.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of Zerbaxa include nausea, diarrhea, headache and fever.

Zerbaxa is a prescription medication used to treat certain types of complicated infections:

• complicated intra-abdominal (infections of the abdomen) infections
• complicated urinary tract infections including kidney infection

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Serious side effects have been reported with Zerbaxa. See the "Drug Precautions" section.

Common side effects of Zerbaxa include the following:

• nausea
• headache
• diarrhea
• fever

This is not a complete list of Zerbaxa side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

There are no expected drug interactions with Zerbaxa. However, you should tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.  Not all drug interactions are known or reported and new drug interactions are continually being reported.

Serious side effects have been reported with Zerbaxa including the following:

• serious allergic reactions. Contact your doctor or get medical help if you experience a rash, itching, hives, or difficulty breathing or swallowing.
• severe diarrhea. Contact your doctor if you experience frequent watery or bloody diarrhea. Severe diarrhea may occur more than 2 months after starting treatment with Zerbaxa. This may be a sign of a more severe stomach problem.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Zerbaxa, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking Zerbaxa, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions.  Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to Zerbaxa or to any of its ingredients
• are allergic to any cephalosporin or penicillin antibiotics
• have or have ever had kidney disease

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories -A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Zerbaxa falls into category B. There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with Zerbaxa. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication, and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if Zerbaxa crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with the use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using Zerbaxa.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare professional.

It is important not to skip doses and to complete the full treatment, otherwise the infection may not go away and could become resistant to Zerbaxa or other antibiotics in the future.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your weight
• your height
• your age
• your gender

Zerbaxa is given directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare professional.

Your dose of Zerbaxa is based on how well your kidneys are working, and your doctor will determine the appropriate dose.

Your doctor will determine the length of treatment based on the site of infection and how severe it is.

Since Zerbaxa is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your body's response to Zerbaxa.